Weed destroyer



Nw.' n, 1924. 1,515,476

f J. E. GREENFIELD WEED DESTROYER Filed Feb. 18, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY wrrNEss:

,5l5,476 J. E. GREENFIELD WEED DESTROYER Filed Feb. 18, 1922 2 Shoots-Sheet 2 WITNESS:

ATTORN EY i atented Nov. ll, 1924.

JOHN EARL GREECNFIELD, OF EL CENTRO, CALIFORNIA.

WEED DESTROYER.

application mea February 18, 1922. serial No. 537,524.

To all 'whom t may concern: Be it known that I, JOHN EARL GREnN- FIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at El Centro, in the county of Imperial and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Weed Destroyers, of which the following is a specification.

rI his invention relates to devices for removing vegetation from irrigation and drainage ditches, and has for its object the provision of a novel truck carried device whereby a powerful blast of ame maybe directed upon weeds or other vegetation growing in irrigation and drainage ditches, whereby to effect destruction thereof and leave the ditches in proper condition for the free passage of water therethrough.

An important object is the provis1on of a device of this character which includes a blower which is associated with a movable outlet pipe which carries burners which direct a blast of flame to the desired points, the outlet pipe of the blower having associated therewith means for feeding fuel thereinto for producing the highly combustible mixture supplying the burners.

Another object is the provision of a device of this character having novel means for adjusting the burners with respect to the blower and the ground so that the device may be eiiciently used in deep or shallow ditches or upon an incline.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which will be comparatively simple and inexpensive in construction and installation, which may be used in association with an ordinary truck or tractor, which will be highly efiicient and durable in service and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my device associated with a supporting vehicle;

Figure 2 is a side elevation;

Figure 3 is a detail cross sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevation showing the gearing for moving the burner pipe.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letter A designates a suitable supporting vehicle which may be a truck,

tractor or the like, or which may be merely a wagon drawn by any preferred means. In the latter case 1t would be necessary to provide an engine B suitably mounted upon the wagon, though in case the device is used upon either a truck or tractor power would be taken from the motor thereof in an obvious manner.

In the further carrying out of my invention I provide a blower 10 of the centrifugal type having an air inlet 11 at its center and a tangentially disposed outlet pipe 12 upon the end of which is rotatably mounted one end of an elbow 13 with the other end of which is connected a pipe 14 terminating in an elbow 15 which is connected with a burner structure including two or more branches 16. The numeral 17 designates a fuel supply tank, the fuel most adapted for use being gasoline, and leading from this tank are pipes 18 which extend to the outlet pipe 12 of the blower and are provided with control valves 19 which regulate the passage of the fuel into the outlet pipe of the blower.

The elbow 13 is necessarily of a flexible nature and is preferably of the telescopic type, that is to say the various sections 18al thereof must be capable of relative movement in a telescopic manner to permit the pipe 14 to be moved up and down. To brace the structure, the pipe 12 is encircled by a collar 13b with which is hingedly connected at 13 a collar 13d which encircles the pipe 14. It is the connection of themembers 13b and 13d which constitutes thev pivot, the function of the elbow proper being merely to form a proper conduit.

Carried by the elbow 13 is a gear ring 20 with which meshes a worm 21 moved by a hand wheel 22. By turning this hand wheel and consequently the worm, it will be seen that the elbow 13 carrying the pipe 14 and the burners may be swung to one side or the other of the vehicle and may also be swung into a more or less inclined position whereby to bring the ends of the burner branches 16 into the proper relation to the ground for the purpose of burning weeds or other matter thereon. The numeral 23 designates an upright carrying a pulley 24 about which is trained a. flexible member 25 such as a cable or the like and which is suitably. connected with the pipe 14 for raising and lowering the same.

In the operation of the device the vehicle A which supports my burner structure is drawn along the ground beside the ditch to be burned out. The blower 10 is driven from the engine B bylany suitable means, such as the belt and pulleys shown, and the gasoline or other fuel is admitted through the valves 19, the supply being readily controllable thereby. The mixture of gas and air issuing from the burners 16 must of course be ignited which may be accomplished in a simple manner and it will be apparent that there will be a powerful blast' of llame issuing from the burners which will very eiciently operate to burn up entirely any weeds, grass or other matter within the ditch. By properly manipulating the hand wheel 22 and the cable 25` it will be seen that the position of the burners may be varied so as to reach down into ditches regardless of whether the sides be steep or sloping. It will be observed that the burner ing to the simplicity of construction and ewness of the parts. it will be a parent that there is nothing to get out o order and thatv the device should consequently have a long life and satisfactorily perform lall the functions for which it is intended.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it Y is of course understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the sub-joined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I

\claim:

In a device of the character described, a wheeled frame, a blower mounted thereon and having a vertical outlet pipe, power means on the frame for driving the blower, an elbow including a base section rotatable upon said blower outlet and equipped with a gear, the elbow further including a plurality of telescopically connected sections, an L-shaped ipe connected with the elbow and carrying ranches constituting burners,

a plurality of valved fuel inlet jets mounted upon the blower outlet and discharging thereinto, a supporting bracket structure carried bythe blower outlet, a worm journaled in said bracket and meshing With said gear for elfecting rotary adjustment of said pipe carrying the burners, and a flexible member connected with the pipe and trained over a guide and operabley for swinging said pipe to vary the height of the burners with respect to the ground.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

JoHN ERL GREEmiliani 

